Assam’s Ambubachi Mela June 22-26, 2025

S. BALAKRISHNAN

‘Ambubachi’ Mela, held annually at the holy shrine of MaaKamakhya in Guwahati, is perhaps the biggest Hindu religious congregation in the North-Eastern part of India. MaaKamakhya or Kameswari is worshipped here as Mother Earth. This temple site is considered as the most sacred and foremost amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas on the earth. Tantri kshaktism cult is followed here. Situated amidst the Nilachal Hills, with River Brahmaputra flowing down below, the temple is 9 kms to the west of Guwahati City in Assam.

At this Shakti peeth Maa Kamakhya represents the mother cult. The Ambubachi Mela, therefore, coincides with Her annual menstrual period. Hence this shrine is closed for three days from the 7^th to the 10^th day of the ‘Aashada’ month which also marks the monsoon season; this corresponds to June 21 or 22. During these three days, daily rituals and worship are stopped. When the temple is reopened ceremoniously on the fourth day morning, it is marked with the Ambubachi Mela, the grand annual fair.

"Ambubachi" means spoken with water; Ambu=water, bachi/vasi=flowing. The hopes are that the rains during this period enrich the earth for fertile procreation. Like all activities being stopped at the shrine, all field works such as ploughing, sowing and transplanting of crops are also not permissible. All other temples also close their sanctum sanctorum during this period. During these three days, cooked food is avoided by Brahmins, brahmacharis and widows. With Ambubachi ending after three days, the house is cleaned and purified on the fourth day and MaaKamakhya is worshipped again. It is considered most auspicious to visit the Kamakhya shrine after Ambubachi. Hence lakhs and lakhs of devotees throng the temple from all corners of the country.

            Last year (2024), I was very much in Guwahati during AmbubachiMela but did not dare visit the temple on that occasion for various reasons. Foremost was the crowd of devotees; it was estimated that around 25 lakh devotees visited the shrine during last year’s Mela period! The temple is situated atop the Nilachal Hill and vehicles are not allowed uphill during that period; one had to climb up – either through the road or the steps. Also, footwear is not allowed during this sacred period; devotees have to climb up the hill barefoot and last year’s summer was really hot, worse than Chennai. Of course, jute carpet is spread on the road. We even thought of trying to get a VVIP pass but the State Government had wisely banned even this. No crooked way to have a darshan!So, I was sternly advised by my wife not to venture out to Kamakya temple. But we did visit the temple some 2-3 days after the Mela and yet could not get into the sanctum sanctorum because of the crowd and wrong timing. We realised then that we took the right decision not to visit during the Mela time. We had to contend that we had had a darshan during our earlier visit in 2016 on a normal day. But the sights & sounds of the Mela still lingered on and it was a treat for my camera. Sadhus and devotees from many parts of our country had gathered there; shops and pavement sellers were doing brisk business in puja items. It only made me wish that I had somehow visited the temple during the Mela time.

The Ambubachi Festival is a unique phenomenon that combines Shakti /Mother Cult with agricultural, social and religious elements.This year, the Ambubachi Mela will be held from June 22 to 25 with the temple doors closing at 2:56 PM on 22nd and reopening on 26th morning, after completion of rituals. 

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